Flush receptacle.



C. J. KLEIN.

FLUSH RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 2B, 1913. RENEWED JUNE 25.1911.

1,255,181 Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES J. KLEIN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAMMER MFG. CO., OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

FLUSH RECEPTACLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

Application filed October 28, 1913, Serial No. 797,873. Renewed June 25, 1917. Serial No. 176,924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. KLEIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Flush Receptacles, of which the fol owing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to electric flush receptacles and plugs therefor.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide simple, compact and inexpensive devices of the character mentioned.

Further objects will appear hereinafter.

The accompanying drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention. The form shown, however, may be modified in various particulars without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing, I

Figure l is a central section of an attachment plug and flush receptacle;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the receptacle with the face plate removed; and

Fig. 3 is a front view of the attachment plug.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a casing 1, preferably of insulating material, houses a pair of terminal contacts 2. A face plate 3 of conventional design, forms the front wall of the casing and is secured to brackets 4 carried by the latter. A

plug 5 is provided with protruding contacts 6 adapted to enter an opening 7 in the face plate and electrically engage the contacts 2 within the receptacle.

The casing 1 is preferably rectangular and is provided with a central recess 8 and transverse recesses 8"- leading therefrom to diagonally opposite corners of the casing The terminal contacts are seated in the recess 8 and comprise parallel resilient contact pormeans of the screws 11, above mentioned. Binding screws 13 are threaded into the outer extremity of each of the terminal plates 12. be provided with recesses 14 in opposite ends adjacent the binding screws 13. v

The closure for the plug opening 7 in the face plate 3 is preferably :of the improved construction described and claimed in my co-pending application, filed Nov. 5, 1913, Serial No. 799,353. Briefly described, the closure comprises a divided member 15 having sliding engagement with the face plate and normally biased by a coil spring 16 to close the opening. The outer portions of the closure are of a sufficient size to completely conceal the opening and are provided on their adjacent faces with complementary beveled recesses 17 to facilitate insertion of the plug contacts therethrough.

The plug 5 is substantially cup-shaped and has a central aperture 18 communicat ing with an annular recess 19 in the open end of the plug. The plug contacts comprise flat portions 20, longitudinal contact portions 6 at right angles thereto, and oblique intermediate portions 21. The portions 20 rest upon the base of the recess 19 and are secured therein at opposite points by means of screws 22 which are countersunk in recesses 23 in the plug. It is obvious that the recesses 23 may be sealed with a suitable insulating wax after the screws 22 are in place. The contacts 6 are disposed in parallel relation and are held in spaced and rigid position by means of an insulating strip 24 therebetween. This strip is preferably larger than the contacts 6 and extends beyond the sides and ends of the latter, so that the plug extension is substantially tapered at its extremity. The strip 24 is secured to the contacts by staggered indentations 25 received in spaced openings 26 in the strip. In order to guard against shortcircuiting, each contact is preferably provided with an opening 27 opposite the identation 25 of the other. Binding screws 28 are threaded through the intermediate portions 21 of the contacts.

' The plug is also preferably transversely recessed, as at 29, to provide channels for the conductors leading to the binding screws 25 and to house the conductor knot. I

When the plug is pushed into attachment the closure 15 separatestagainst the tension of the spring 16 so that the contacts 6 are The exterior of the casing may free to enter the receptacle and engage the terminal contacts 2 therein with a wiping action. The plug is securely held in position by resilient frictional engagement with the contacts 2 and also by the spring pressure of the adjacent faces of the closure.

The open recess 19 of the plug is sufficient in diameter to inclose and conceal the outer portions of the closure 15 when the plug is inserted.

What I claim-as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an attachment plug, in combination, a recessed insulating base, a pair of contacts attached on opposite sides of said base in the recess thereof, said contacts being bent from their point of attachment on said base toward each other and extending beyond said base in a parallel relation and in close proximity and an insulating strip interposed between the projecting portions of said contacts and supported thereby.

In an attachment plug, in combination, a recessed insulating base, a pair of contacts attached on opposite sides of said base in the recess thereof, ,said contacts being bent from their point of attachment toward each other and extending beyond said base in a parallel relation and in close proximity and an insulating strip interposed between the projecting portions of said contacts, said strip having a plurality of recesses and.

said contacts being indented adjacent said recesses to clamp and support said strip.

3. In an attachment plug, in combination, a recessed insulating base, a pair of contacts attached on opposite sides of said base in the recess thereof, said contacts being bent from their point of attachment toward each other and extending beyond said base in a parallel relation and in close proximity, a binding screw carried by each of said contacts contiguous to its point of attachment on said base and an insulating strip interposed between the projecting portions of said contacts and supported thereby. In combination, a receptacle having a meme];

pair of parallel spaced contact therein, a face plate for said receptacle having a plug openmg, a closure for said opening comprising a divided member normally biased to close said opening, and a plug having a contact extension adapted to open said closure and electrically engage said contacts in said receptacle, aid plug having a recess to inclose the exposed portion of said closure, said closure bein adapted to hold said contact extension within said receptacle.

5. In combination, a receptacle having a recess therein and a pair of spaced contacts seated in said recess, a faceplate for said receptable having a plug opening in alinement with said contacts, a closure for said opening comprising a member extending therethrough and having sliding engagement with the exposed surface of said face plate, and a plug having a unitary contact extension adapted to open said closure and having a recess to house the outer portions of said closure.

6. In combination, a receptacle having a central recess therein and a pair of parallel resilient contacts seated in said recess, terminals for said contacts adjacent the ex terior of said receptacle, a face plate for said receptacle having a plug opening, a closure for said opening comprising a divided member having sliding engagement with said face plate and normally biased to close said opening, and a plug having a tapered contact extension comprising a pair of insulated contacts adapted to open said closure and electrically engage said contacts in said receptacle, said plug also having a recess to inclose the outer portions of sand closure.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES J. KLEIN.

Witnesses S. 1F. WATSON, F. H. HUBBARD, 

